Weekend Update 10/19/14

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

This weeks work on the Club layout.

More work on the rock quarry as well as planted some trees on the Mountain.





I didn't like the way the lines came out so i repainted the road and started again.

[Miles]

Working on rough structure mock-ups for the Grocery Distributors that will occupy 3 of 4 corner lots. Eventually I'll have them laser-cut from acrylic sheet.

[wcfn100]

Finally went and rode the full D&SNG (had only done the Polar Express and Dinosaur Train).  Didn't take too many pictures of the train as I've already got a bunch, but while in Silverton, noticed the collection of rerailers hooked to the tender.







Then on the way back, my wife saw a sign in South Fork for 'Train Rides' so we turn off to check it out.  They were closed but everything is very accessible.









I try and keep a tape in the car and got the chance to measure the hood on the 44 Tonner.  It came in at 54".  Compare this to the Bachmann model which measures 70".  That's 16" or 30% over (ya' know, for the next time it comes up).   

edit: I should add that the louvers on the front measures 42" over the casing while the Bachmann model is closer to 40" so that doesn't help matters.  But on the bright side, being just 2" off isn't bad for guessing. 

Jason

[peteski]

I try and keep a tape in the car and got the chance to measure the hood on the 44 Tonner.  It came in at 54".  Compare this to the Bachmann model which measures 70".  That's 16" or 30% over (ya' know, for the next time it comes up).   

Jason

Was that at the base or at the top of the hood?  You know - the draft angle... 

[randgust]

The RDA hood issue only applies here, Pete:

http://www.thedieselshop.us/blw%20dr44-1500shark.gif

And in my favorite:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/EMD_Model_40.jpg/800px-EMD_Model_40.jpg

[Philip H]

What's up with the empty unconnected track in front of the station?

[nkalanaga]

It looks like some stations I've seen where the passenger track was abandoned after service ended.  The track itself was left in place, rather than tear out all of the platforms and/or paving, but the switches were removed.  The station itself doesn't appear to be used, at least as a passenger stop, and the crossing signals have been moved closer to the main.

[jnevis]

I just looked at the overhead of Tehachapi.  If you look a the way the buildings are arranged along Tehachapi Blvd and the tracks, it does look like a track was removed at some point.  Look just W of N Green St to about N Davis St, the station is the left corner of N Green and Tehachapi (58).

[C855B]

Actually... living in the area from 1954 to 1975... IIRC this was a dock track. There were fruit packing sheds west of the depot, mostly handling apples. While I missed steam ops by a couple of years, it is also very likely that loco watering (for helpers) was on this track or a stub off of it, noting the location of the water tower east of Green St.

[3DTrains]

The lonely track in the above pic would have been removed/out of service around 1990 before UP took control of SP (still indicated on 1988 charts, but may have been severed soon after - though I can clearly see tracks in pictures taken just a few years before the depot burned). The track extended across Green St and was connected on both ends to the main (with an additional connection east of Green St). I believe the west end was used for general freight and express service, while the section east of Green St (between Robinson and Hayse) for fruit packing. I'll have to double check my SPINS though and see if any portion was still being used.

There were originally three water tanks just east of the depot, and at least one standing until destroyed by the big quake in 1952. For a short time afterward, the freight/fruit track was used to store water cars for city and railroad usage until a replacement tank could be brought up from Ravenna. There were also two water columns in front of the water tank (still indicated on 1961 charts); one between the freight/fruit track and the main, and the other on the north side. I believe the current Tehachapi water tank originally stood at Woodford and was moved a few decades ago to its present location and cosmetically restored.

BTW, nice work on the depot scene, Chris!

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside

[ednadolski]

Some vintage pics showing the depot with the extra track: http://www.carrtracks.com/Tehachapi-depot.htm

Ed

[3DTrains]

Nice page of images, Ed!

The second image clearly shows that while the track is still there, it is nevertheless out of service just past the depot. I'll wager at the time of the photo, that the eastern section was also long severed.

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside